Midland police to honor fallen with bike ride, service

Published 7:00 pm, Friday, May 7, 2010

As National Police Week kicks off, officers with the Midland Police Department will host two events today and tomorrow to honor those who have fallen.

The sixth annual peace officer memorial bike ride will begin at 2 p.m. from the MPD building at 601 N. Loraine Street.

Cyclists will ride a total of 14 miles — one mile for each of those individuals who have lost their lives this year in the line of duty. Eleven law enforcement officers were killed between May 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010 across the state of Texas. The ride will also honor the three MPD officers who were killed in 1935 and 1961.

Those wanting to participate in the ride are asked to arrive early to get a map of the route; helmets will be required by all those participating, authorities said.

Cyclists will return back to the police department at the end of the ride and refreshments will be provided, officials said.

Officer John Kerrigan, who is a part of the bike patrol unit with the MPD, said the ride is a way for those in the community to honor all who wear a badge and a gun.

"It's a way for the public to show their support for police in general," Officer John Kerrigan said.

On Monday, the department will hold their annual peace officer's memorial service in the ClayDesta Atrium at 3 p.m.

Usually held later in the week, this year's service was changed earlier because the department's honor guard will be leaving Wednesday to attend the national event in Washington, D.C., officials said.

Officers are asking all those wanting to honor those in law enforcement to attend the service.

This year's service will honor the following individuals who were killed in Texas in the past year:

- Officer Dionicio Camacho, Harris County Sheriff's Office

- Sgt. Timothy Olsovsky, Victoria County Sheriff's Office

- Deputy Francis Blake, Burnet County Sheriff's Office.

- Officer Jesse Hamilton, Pasadena Police Department

- Deputy Shane Detwiler, Chambers County Sheriff's Office

- Officer Henry Canales, Houston Police Department

- Agent Cruz McGuire, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

- Officer Craig Story, Arlington Police Department

- Officer Timothy Zurovetz, Forest Hill Police Department

- Deputy Jacob Rayos, Reeves County Sheriff's Office

- Officer Randy Holder, Abilene Police Department

The following MPD officers will also be honored:

- John Wyrick, who was fatally shot while on patrol on Oct. 10, 1935

- Brian Scoggins, who died while on motorcycle patrol on April 14, 1961

- Gordon Smith Jr., who was killed by a murder suspect on Nov. 28, 1961